


A Soul So Bright As This

by LexoA2011



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, American Civil War, American Revolution, Biblical References, Canon Related, Character Death, Headcanon, M/M, Prehistoric, Reincarnation, Renaissance Era, Soul Bond, Soulmates, World War I, a lot of it, repeatedly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2013-05-04
Packaged: 2017-12-10 10:18:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/784937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LexoA2011/pseuds/LexoA2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the Beginning, Castiel has always found humanity fascinating.  One day, as he sat near a stream, he saw a man with the brightest, purest soul that he had ever encountered.  For the next 12,000 years, he finds himself drawn to this soul over and over again, even when Naomi works him over and makes him forget.  Each incarnation may have a different face and a different name, but Castiel knows him by the one thing he cannot ever hope to change; his soul.</p><p>(Found as a Tumblr prompt)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 9000 BC

When humans were young, Castiel used to enjoy watching them.  At the time, his only real job was watching over Thursday. It was a basic, boring job that left him plenty of free time to watch over humanity.  Humanity was… entertaining.  Their daily lives were simple and family-oriented and charming; everyone worked together to care for the children, to gather food, to hunt.  There was peace amongst tribes.  Peace that would be seldom known later on.

Castiel was by the river when a virile young man approached. With a spear and a reed basket. The angel watched as the man waded in, up to his knees in the current.  He was tall and strong and built, with thick ropes of muscle coiled under smooth, sun darkened skin.  The man waded in with a spear in hand; sharpened rock attached to a branch with a leather strap.  The man was naked, but unconcerned with his blatant nudity.  Fascinated, Castiel continued watching as the man watched the water with stunning patience.  For a long moment, neither moved.   When the man lashed out with his spear, it caused the Angel to jump slightly.  Out came a fish impaled on the end. The human smiled triumphantly and placed the fish into the basket.  He repeated the motion, stabbing large fish on the end of the spear and dropping them into the basket. The sun moved across the sky. Castiel shifted to get a better view of the man. 

When the angel moved, the sound startled the man, who picked up his spear and turned about, watching for someone or something.  He called out; a feral shout to frighten or spur on any beasts or men.  Caution furrowed his brow as he side stepped, ever vigilant for danger.  Stepping a little further to the side, the human caught sight of the angel.  Immediately, his shoulders relaxed and he lowered his spear.  Instead of striking, he beckoned Castiel forth.  Castiel looked about and pushed off the ground, standing with ease.  It was his turn to demonstrate caution.  Castiel wore linen robes over his lithe form the billowed around his legs.  The man gestured to his garments, but Castiel knew not what to do. Fortunately, he moved on. 

Castiel felt how broad and labor-roughened the man’s hands were as one gently gripped his forearm and led him into the cool waters of the river.  The man shook the spear as a gesture and held up a hand.  With a grunt, the man watched quietly for a fish.  The virile human pointed with his left hand and speared it- quick as a flash- with the spear held in the other.  Pulling it out of the water, he pulled the fish off and tossed it onto the bank before turning to Castiel.  There were no words; it was a series of animalistic noises and grunts and gestures, all cobbled together to help Castiel understand the human’s intent.  After a moment, the angel found himself in a bit of a situation.  He truly had no need to eat.  Castiel tried to back away, but the human was insistent. 

After being pulled back into place, the spear was pressed into his soft hand, with the human’s dark flesh covering it and demonstrating how to grip the wood.  His body was pressed against Castiel’s.  The tanned left arm pointed to a passing fish and moved with the angel, showing how to strike against the fish.  They missed, but neither were dismayed.  This time, the human stepped back and watched as Castiel tried.  Within moments, Castiel managed to spear a fish. He mourned the loss, but the human was delighted.  He clapped his broad hand on Castiel’s back and led to the bank, where he showed the angel how to slit open the fish and remove the undesirable innards and bones.  Castiel paid less attention to the man and more to the soul; it was bright and big and pure.  Brighter than Castiel had ever seen before, in fact.  The angel was in awe. 

The Human cleaned two fish and handed them to Castiel, hope plain in his face. Castiel took them and brushed the back of his hand over the human’s face gently.  The man’s eyes widened before closing with a soft sigh.  Then, he stood and pulled Castiel up with him, gesturing animatedly.  They were going back to his village.  However, Castiel could not join him.  Castiel gestured and smiled apologetically, crushed when the human appeared crestfallen.  Pointing to where Castiel had first been seen, the angel tried to convey that the human could see him again, tomorrow if he’d liked.  The human seemed to understand.  Gently, he picked up Castiel’s soft hand and pressed the knuckles to his lips and then his forehead before dropping the pale hand, hefting up the basket and leaving.

The next day, Castiel waited for the man with the stunningly bright soul, but he was nowhere to be seen. Castiel waited seven days and seven nights, returning to the spot each day, but still the human failed to show.  The angel took a chance.  He walked the short way to the village and stopped, stunned, when he saw it.  Bodies lay strewn over the path, torn into by animals.  Some had spears or crude axes or blades of bone similar to the one Castiel’s human had used on the fish thrust into their bodies.  Barbarian nomads must have found them and obliterated them. Dry, dead blood was feasted upon by maggots. The carcasses were beginning to stink.  Castiel walked down the center of the village, looking at the bodies, aghast.  At the mouth of a hut, the angel found his human, face down over the bodies of children. With a soul so bright and pure as his, Castiel was not surprised that he had attempted to protect these babes.  Kneeling, Castiel pressed a soft hand to the human’s head and muttered a soft Enochian blessing, a plea to his Father to look after their souls.  Then, with a flutter of wings, Castiel left for nature to run its course. 


	2. Exodus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel finds the soul in Egypt, within a teenaged boy named Imhotep during the time of Moses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the underaged bit comes in, even though it was legal in that ancient day and age and they don't have sex.

Castiel kept finding that soul; that bright, pure soul so outstanding.  It called to him, begging to be found, and without realizing it, Castiel did, every time.

Moses had already fled Egypt when Castiel next found that bright, pure soul. The last sighting of it had been two hundred years previous to Moses.  An Egyptian approaching adulthood ran through the streets, chasing his older brother, laughter emanating from the mischievous pair.  Castiel was again on Earth, disguised in white linen, his uncommonly pale chest covered by the robes of a scholar.  He watched, bemused, as children played in the streets.  Despite the cruelty of the pharaoh, these people were innocent- behaving as they had been raised to behave. Well, for the most part.  The teen barreled into Castiel’s side, but Castiel merely staggered. He caught the boy with ease, allowing the scrolls of papyrus he had been holding to fall to the ground.

“My apologies,” The teen muttered as Castiel helped him stand upright.  The teen was strong and broad-shouldered, with dark hair that came to his shoulders. This boy was not the eldest child.  Castiel smiled benignly as he peered into the soul and found his human’s there, pulsing with light. He opened his mouth to speak, but did not get the chance.  

A taller man with a deeper voice approached. He was still a teen, but closer to manhood than this one.  His head was shaven save for the side ponytail reserved for the eldest son. “What has my brother done this time?” The eldest’s voice was deep as he ruffled the hair of his brother.

Castiel nodded to the tall, strong brother. “It was a mistake.  Nothing more.”

“Imhotep, you must take care not to knock people over.  We would not wish an injury upon a scholar, would we? Or a priest?”

Imhotep flushed and scowled at his brother. “It was an accident, Sebek.”  Sebek threw his head back with laughter, shaking his head.  With an order to be home by nightfall, the eldest left them both.  Imhotep helped Castiel pick up the fallen scrolls.  “Allow me to help,” Imhotep took all of the scrolls and hefted them into his arms.  He carried them, walking alongside Castiel.  They did not speak, but simply walked.  Castiel held his hands behind his back, content in the silence that had fallen over them.  It was like this for many minutes as they continued down the street.  Imhotep glanced up at the paler man.  “What can I call you?”

Castiel looked at the boy. His name was out of place in this society, but lying was a sin.  He found little desire to conceal his identity from his human in any case. “I am Castiel.”

“Castiel,” The boy repeated. “It is a strange name,” Imhotep remarked casually, as thought it was a simple fact, which, Castiel supposed, it was.  However, the angel could see the depths of Imhotep’s ignorance.  A name was the least of it.

“Not so strange where I am from, Imhotep.” This spurred questions and observations; Castiel must be from a northern city; he is obviously well-learned; did he serve the pharaoh? Castiel answered all of his questions as honestly as he could without revealing his true heritage.  “You ask many questions,” Castiel mused aloud with the smallest twitch of his pale pink lips. The boy was quiet after that.  They came to the temple where Castiel had procured the scrolls. The angel took them, thanking Imhotep for his help.   He asked if Imhotep would be interested in learning, and, having not yet been apprenticed, he excitedly agreed.

They met in front of the temple.  Castiel broke bread and shared it with the boy, eating it as they walked down to the Nile River.  Castiel asked about him; about his family, selfishly wanting to know as much as he could about this human as he could.  Imhotep spoke of his parents; his father was an official, and his mother was deceased, but had been the Pharaoh’s daughter.  Castiel listened, hanging onto every detail, dedicating every word to memory.  At length, as they sat in the reeds, Castiel began to speak.  He spoke of people first, then gradually began to delve deeper.  They did this, day by day, Week by week, month by month.  Imhotep grew bigger, and the two grew closer. Imhotep’s father had died in the months that had passed. Eventually, Castiel spoke of God and Imhotep listened. Having come to trust this man, Imhotep kept this secret of learning about the Hebrew God and even asked questions.  Imhotep was coming to believe. 

They were weaving baskets by the river, in which they would hold fish, when Castiel’s head snapped up to the heavens.  His blue eyes scanned the bright sky as he received orders.  He stood, and Imhotep looked up at him. “Castiel?”

The angel groped blindly for the boy’s shoulder. “Imhotep, I must go. I will find you at a later time.” Castiel turned and hurried up the bank, weaving through the reeds expertly.

“Castiel!” Imhotep called out, trying to follow him. When Imhotep broke through the tall reeds, he searched for his companion, but Castiel was gone.  Heaven had called him home.

Castiel did as he said he would, and woke Imhotep in his house. The boy startled awake. He rubbed his bleary eyes and worked his mouth to wet the dry recesses. “Castiel?” He croaked sleepily. Castiel gripped the human’s shoulders tight.

“Imhotep. _Imhotep_ , you must listen to me.” Castiel shook the boy, demanding his attention.  Imhotep watched him with wide brown eyes. “Many things will come to pass in the following weeks, and you must be strong.  Come to me when you are afraid. I will be in our place, amongst the reeds.  Call my name, and I will come to you. Do you understand, Imhotep?”  Castiel’s eyes darted back and forth between the human’s as he waited for an affirmative. “Imhotep!”

“Yes, Castiel! Yes!”  Imhotep nodded and swallowed anxiously.  Castiel pulled the boy into an impromptu embrace.  The feel of Imhotep’s bare skin, hot with sleep, burned against his torso, even through the white fabric.  It made Castiel’s heart pick up. He remembered what another angel had said.

 _Castiel has too much heart_.

The angel was beyond caring.  He pressed a chaste kiss to the teen’s forehead, pushing him into unconsciousness and laid the teen back down to sleep.  Standing, Castiel unfurled his wings and flew away.

The next day, Pharaoh had not believed the brothers, Aaron and Moses.  The day after, the Nile turned red with blood. Imhotep was in the reeds, calling Castiel’s name.  When Castiel appeared, Imhotep’s hands were red with the blood of the Nile. His eyes were wide with fear, and his white linens were stained. “Castiel, what is happening?” 

Castiel drew the boy into his arms and held him until he began to calm.  “Pharaoh said he would not let the Hebrews go.  So God turned the river to blood.”

“People will _die_.” Imhotep’s voice shook and Castiel heard his fear. His inner fear.

“I will not let you die.”

It was Castiel who ensured that Imhotep and his brother had clean water.  Each day, Castiel would stay with Imhotep among the reeds, hiding from his garrison and protecting the human with the bright, pure soul.  He was Castiel’s charge.  Castiel’s responsibility.  More than once, Imhotep had fallen asleep against Castiel’s chest in the tall, tall reeds.  It made the angel want to protect the human more.

After seven days, frogs plagued Egypt.  They came everywhere, and again Imhotep called for Castiel and asked why there were now frogs. Castiel replied the same way, and stayed with Imhotep until night fell. The next day, the frogs left, leaving carcasses piled up in heaps.  Gnats came, then flies.  When the livestock was left dead, Imhotep was near incoherent. “Why will Pharaoh not let the Hebrews go?  Does he not see how we suffer?” The teen screamed in frustration.  Castiel cringed and held the teen to his chest, fearing for what plagues were sure to come if the Hebrews were not allowed to leave. 

Boils came, and Imhotep was hysterical.  They were painful and itchy and festering, ripping skin open and oozing blood and pus.  Castiel pulled the teen into his arms and held him amongst the reeds, rubbing his hands over the swollen boils, murmuring soft spells to numb the pain and quell the infection. This was undoubtedly his biggest discretion yet, but neither God nor Naomi came down or called him to heaven for it.  Castiel’s heart could not bear the pain of this soul’s suffering. So Imhotep remained cradled in Castiel’s arms, curled into the angel’s chest as he finally slept.  They stayed there through the night, Castiel’s hands roving over the teen’s skin, soothing the painful boils. Imhotep slept on and off, but neither spoke.  They sat there as the night went on, the Egyptian’s hands running lightly over the angel’s soft skin.  

It was a dangerous night for Castiel.

But the next night was worse.  Imhotep was with Castiel as the hailstorm raged on.  The teen was shaking and afraid- oh, so afraid- and clinging to Castiel.  The angel held the boy close in an abandoned home, cradling the human against him like he had since the plagues began.  The night was long, but Castiel held onto Imhotep through the crackle of lightning and the horrendous din of hail. The day after the hail let up, Locusts consumed everything, and Castiel gave Imhotep bread so that his family would not starve. 

Then came the darkness. Darkness fell over the land of Egypt, driving people from their minds with fear. Imhotep, teen though he was, could not leave his bed.  He cried out for Castiel, and Castiel came and saw Imhotep with arms outstretched, eyes wide as they struggled so desperately to see.  Tears flowed over his cheeks as fear struck his heart.  Castiel took him into his arms. “I am here, Imhotep,” he whispered so that his brother would not hear. 

“Can you see?”

“Yes.”

“How?” Imhotep whimpered. Castiel sighed and thought on it.

“I am an angel of the Lord who wishes to protect his charge,” Castiel finally said. When Imhotep did not respond, Castiel gripped him tight. “Hold onto me.” The teen obeyed, and Castiel flew them to the abandoned house they had found shelter in days previously.

“Castiel?”

“Yes, Imhotep?”

Imhotep squirmed in Castiel’s lap. “Why did you not tell me?”

Every reason Castiel thought of was selfish and unbecoming of an angel. He did not wish to drive Imhotep away; he did not want to frighten the boy; he wanted to keep the teen close to him, always.  Castiel should be disgraced… but he wasn’t.  Too much heart.  Castiel told Imhotep the truth.

“I was afraid you would not believe me.”

The Egyptian laughed. “After all that has happened, I find your admission welcome. You have helped me so much.  How could I return the favor to an angel?”

Castiel looked down at the teen who stared into darkness.  He ran a smooth hand over his jaw. “You have made me happier than you could know, Imhotep.  Consider this an equal trade.”

A hand, the hand the size of a man’s, swept down Castiel’s cheek. Castiel could see that it was his human’s, heard the utterance of thanks, but could not focus.  Desires threatened to overtake him. Castiel quickly snuffed them out by brushing to fingers over Imhotep’s forehead and putting him to sleep.  With the unconscious body of his human in his arms, Castiel leaned his head back and prayed desperately for the Pharaoh to let the Hebrews _go_.

As Castiel had feared, Pharaoh did not agree.

Naomi came for him the next night. Imhotep slept soundly, but Castiel was too restless to hold the teen that night. And for good reason. When Naomi came in, her lips were curled into a vicious smile. She glanced at the sleeping human with the bright soul and snorted in derision. “You dissenter.  Our Father is far too lenient on you.”

“Greetings to you as well, Naomi.”

“We have been sent to collect the souls of the wicked Egyptian scum, Castiel, and your presence is needed.”

Castiel bristled. “They are not scum. Our Father has created them.”

“Yes, just as He created you,” Naomi quipped with a bitter tongue. “Come.  This boy is not the eldest, and his door is not marked by lamb’s blood.”

Castiel’s face paled. “That is the only family this boy knows.”

“Either you take his brother’s soul, or I will, Castiel.” Naomi snapped.  She left Castiel standing there, distraught. Naomi would burn the soul up; she was merciless like that.

She had left Castiel no choice.

Sebek was sleeping soundly, mere _days_ from being a man, when Castiel touched down.  He looked at the man’s face, watched as his chest moved with deep, even breaths.  Castiel did _not_ wish to do this… but he had to. Placing the palm of his hand to Sebek’s face, the angel pulled the soul from Sebek’s body. A sigh of a breath left the firstborn’s lungs.

“Castiel?”

 _No_.

Castiel whirled around, eyes wide, mouth agape. No, no. Not now.  Castiel’s mouth was too dry to say a word.

“What are you doing to my brother?” Imhotep approached and saw that Sebek’s bare, muscled chest did not rise.  Castiel watched as the teen shook his brother’s shoulders. “Sebek? Sebek!” He put his ear to his brother’s chest and heard no heartbeat.  Imhotep shook his brother harder, yelled for him to wake up. Castiel could do little more than stare and keep the soul inside of him, locked within his Grace for safe keeping.  He stepped back, retreating from the pain and heartbreak emanating from the youngest. After a moment of deep breathing, the boy, Castiel’s human, his self-proclaimed charge, whirled on him, screeching, “ _You did this!!_ ” Castiel wanted to give the soul back, but if he did he would be destroyed.  His own destruction was not a price he could pay. Not when he could find this soul again.

“I had no choice, Imhotep,” Castiel held out his hands, tried to make him understand. This was the will of God.  I could not go against His will an-“

“ _Liar_!” Castiel’s mouth snapped shut. “You told me we all have a choice! _You_ said that to me!” Imhotep shoved Castiel back as tears streamed, unrelenting, down his face. He was alone, now. All alone.  “How could you do this? How could you? You killed my brother!!”  The boy who was more man than child moved to strike Castiel across the face, but the swing was easy to dodge.  Castiel drew himself close, towering over the teen.  Imhotep planted his hands against the angel’s chest, but Castiel refused to budge.  This enraged Imhotep, and he beat fruitlessly on the chest carved from stone. Despite his immense pain, the soul remained as bright as ever and Castiel had to marvel.  When it became clear that Castiel was neither leaving nor moving, Imhotep turned around. His voice was low and quiet, laced with the deep pain of betrayal. “Castiel, I want you to leave never come back.” Imhotep turned his face and stared at the angel with puffy, red-rimmed eyes. “ _I will_ never _forgive you_!”

Castiel left, cradling Sebek’s soul on his way to heaven like it was something far, far more precious and fragile that it was.  He wished he could make Imhotep see that he truly had no choice in the matter. It was him, taking Sebek’s soul with a gentle hand, or Naomi, who burned the souls with a flair of wickedness that could be rivalled by demons. When he left the soul to be reincarnated, Castiel felt empty. He felt the stab of pain with every thought of that bright, pure soul he had betrayed on Earth.  When Naomi came to “teach him”, he allowed her to, holding still until he was back to being a blank little worker bee. It was the first time she was able to cure the dissenter, and she hoped it would be the last. 

But, too much heart would always be Castiel’s problem, and this would not be the last time he would encounter that soul.


End file.
